OPTIMA's Search for the Ultimate Street Car Heads South to New Orleans

The Big Easy is Anything But!

Jim McIlvaine

August 7, 2017

Competitors in OPTIMA's Search for the Ultimate Street Car have seven chances to qualify for an invitation to the SEMA Show and year-ending OPTIMA Ultimate Street Car Invitational (OUSCI). However, there's more than one way to skin the qualifying cat. Invitations are handed out at each event in each of five classes, as well as the Spectre Performance Spirit of the Event invitation.

Invites are also handed out at the end of the regular season, based on point totals accumulated during a competitor's best three events. That keeps the series from turning into checkbook racing, because a great car and driver can come out and qualify in one event or earn enough points in three, but they don't need to run all seven.

The top-three non-qualifiers from each class will earn an invitation at the end of the year, as well as the next ten non-qualifiers, based on season-long point totals. That means each class will get at least ten entries in the OUSCI, but at least ten entries will also come from the top contenders who have not yet previously-qualified, regardless of the class they competed in during the season.

Competitors who have run in the series in the past know a solid string of performances over the course of the season can get them to Vegas and they plan accordingly. Even though only two qualifying events have already taken place, several Fords in the GT Class are positioning themselves for such a run to Sin City. None of them won their class at Vegas or NOLA, but four of them accumulated valuable points that have placed them in the top-five overall. If they can hold those positions through the remainder of the season, they'll likely secure valuable invites and a shot at the ultimate street car title.

Most of the events have already sold out for the season, so their strategy may pay off. Spectators are always welcome and even if the series doesn't run near you, the TV series that follows these cars across the country is available on-demand anytime on the OPTIMA Network on Roku or Amazon Fire TV and it's absolutely free!